The Chairperson of Tipperary Tidy Towns Group is looking forward to continued success in 2024.
Paul O’Callaghan gave an upbeat assessment of the group’s work at the AGM held in the Community Services Centre on November 30th and noted that the Group won it’s first ever National Award in the 2023 Tidy Town’s Competition.
The officers elected at the AGM, attended by 30 people including Task Force Manager Michael Begley and Councillor Anne Marie Ryan, are as follows – Chairperson Paul O’Callaghan, Secretary Michael O’Halloran and Finance officer Gary Madden. Patrick Ryan is reappointed as Tipperary Tidy Towns Ambassador. The group finances were also favourable with outgoing Treasurer Cristina Garani expressing the hope that a successful project could be funded in 2024 by the Local Authorities Water Programme. Outgoing Secretary Christina O’Dwyer Heigh was thanked for her contribution giving a detailed response to the 2023 Adjudicators report.
It is hoped to appoint a Vice Chairperson and Public Relations Officer at the first meeting of the new committee on December 12th. All are welcome to attend the meeting planned for the Porterhouse at 7pm. Eamon Ryan was thanked for providing a room free of charge for the group as did the Community Services centre.
The December 12th meeting will consider the Group’s 5-year Work plan with the AGM hearing a request to get schools more involved in anti-litter measures. The Group currently has the services of 4 TUS workers. The Group are also working with the Tipperary Task Force to deliver a dedicated “Teen space” in the town. Anti-Litter signs designed by students in St Anne’s School are to be erected in the town before the end of December and a refurbishment of the Maid of Erin area is to be completed in 2024. A town energy management plan is to be launched on January 10th – in a bid to retain, in the longer term, some of the estimated €28M that is spent on energy in the town annually. Similarly, a waste reduction plan is to be implemented as the group work towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Progress on the Greenway project between Sologhead was also confirmed with the off road segment from Sologhead to Limerick Junction agreed with land owners and work underway to consult with landowners for a possible greenway between Tipperary town and Christ the King statue in the Glen of Aherlow. €200,000 in ORIS funding Council to upgrade the pathway between Tipperary town and Limerick Junction is being paused until the National Broadband Ireland team install ducting on the route.
